Neoliberal tenets have colored the past half-century of education reform, marked by top-down accountability, market competition, and regimented learning aims. Federal drift and post-pandemic recovery, along with economic uncertainty, will blur policy priorities going forward. Less noticed, local networks of pro-equity activists have come to…

Across the nation, community colleges have expanded dual enrollment programs to increase college enrollment and completion, particularly among historically underserved populations. The California Community College system--the largest system in the nation--is no different and recently expanded its dual enrollment programming to include College and…

The Massachusetts Early College Initiative eases the pathway to postsecondary education for thousands of high school students annually. Early college programs provide strategically-sequenced, real college classes with strong career orientations during students' regular high school day. When fully realized, they also provide enhanced academic and…

In our unequal society, families of color fully share the dream of college but their children often attend schools that do not prepare them, and the higher education system gives the best opportunities to the most privileged. Students of color hope for college but often face a dead end. For many young people, racial inequality puts them at a…

In this manuscript, we present data and perspectives of 33 stakeholders within a predominately (98%) African American/Black and low-income (100%) STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Academy located within an urban setting. Stakeholders of the STEAM Academy included administrators, community members, school counselors,…

Financial aid opens the door to a college degree and makes higher education a real possibility for students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Student knowledge about financial aid availability and application processes, however, varies substantially by race, ethnicity, and income. Despite belonging to families with lower-than-average family…

Current accountability in higher education is primarily focused on equality--the application of the same metrics to all schools no matter whom they enroll. But an accountability system that judges schools only on former students' earnings outcomes will reward schools with certain demographic profiles over others--in the context of this report,…

This history examines the relationship between 21st century early college high schools and a longer tradition of adolescents attending college, uncovering powerful roots, distinctive breaks, and reforged alliances. Why did these schools, designed so students earn up to an associate's degree before graduation, come into being when and where they…

Undocumented college-bound students face many obstacles when planning for college, and school counselors are well positioned to assist them. However, the focus is often on enrollment versus college completion. This article considers the preparation needs for undocumented college-bound students through the lens of both their unauthorized and…

This article maps current senior secondary certification arrangements in Australia, drawing on data on school completion rates, certificate attainment and post-school destinations, as well as policy documents within and across jurisdictions. It argues that irrespective of the jurisdiction, numerous changes over nearly 50 years to the rules…

Large numbers of qualified students do not apply to and enroll in college. Yet, earning a college degree is one of the primary pathways for economic success and is increasingly required for good jobs and high wages. A number of programs and practices aim to improve college readiness and enrollment, including "Take Stock in Children's®…

Approximately 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness on their own every year. These young people -- referred to as "unaccompanied homeless youth" under federal education law -- face unique barriers to accessing and completing higher education. Unaccompanied homeless youth are not living with, or supported by, a parent…

Learning assistance is an essential part of higher education. Tutors, the core of the assistance staff, need to have learning assistance skills. If the potential for these skills can be identified when selecting tutors, the training method will be more efficient. Also, learning assistance skills are thought to be related to learning skills.…

The 2024 Nebraska Higher Education Progress Report is the 18th annual progress report designed to provide the Nebraska Legislature with comparative statistics to monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving three key priorities for Nebraska's postsecondary education system. These priorities were developed by the 2003 LR 174 Higher Education Task…

The college readiness of high school graduates has become a core objective of the education policy of the United States. Early college readiness programs now exist in 38 states, and early college transition curricula have been developed in 29 states. This article evaluates the oldest of these programs, the Early Assessment Program (EAP), operated…